Residents of Granbury, Texas, have filed a lawsuit against Marathon Digital, accusing the Bitcoin mining company of generating noise at its local facility.
The legal action, submitted to a Hood County court on October 4, has over two dozen residents claiming that the noise levels from the site have caused significant disturbances and discomfort.
According to the complaint, the noise emanating from Marathon’s Bitcoin mining facility has created a persistent “nuisance,” leading to severe discomfort among those living nearby.
Granbury Residents Endure Physical and Psychological Effects
The lawsuit highlights that some residents have endured a range of physical and psychological effects, including headaches, fatigue, hearing loss, migraines, and tinnitus, due to the continuous noise and vibrations from the mining operation.
Additionally, the residents allege that pre-existing health conditions, like high blood pressure, have worsened due to the constant disturbance.
The legal document emphasizes that the noise pollution is so pervasive that residents can hear and feel the vibrations inside their homes, interfering with their daily lives and enjoyment of their properties.
Alongside the noise issues, the residents claim that the operation’s significant energy consumption has led to increased electricity bills and a decline in property values in the area.
Represented by Rodrigo Cantú, a senior attorney with the environmental law firm Earthjustice, the plaintiffs are seeking a court order to force Marathon Digital to address the noise problem or shut down the facility altogether.
Cantú stated on October 7 that his clients demand “immediate action to effectively mitigate their noise pollution or shut down operations altogether.”
Marathon Digital has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
Meanwhile, the residents are pushing for a permanent injunction to prevent the facility from continuing its “unreasonable noise” and are also seeking compensation for damages and legal costs.
The Granbury Bitcoin mine, originally built in April 2022 by Compute North Holdings, has since changed hands multiple times.
Marathon Digital took over the lease in January 2023, after the site was managed by rival miner Hut 8 Corp until April 30.
Residents reported that the noise became noticeable around the spring of 2023, suggesting a correlation with the change in management.
Marathon Operates 250,000 Mining Rigs
As of July, Marathon Digital’s earnings report indicated it operates 250,000 Bitcoin mining rigs, with the Granbury site contributing a hashrate of 4.3 ExaHashs per second (EH/s).
The exact number of rigs at the Granbury location remains unspecified.
This legal battle mirrors a similar 2022 case in Hadsel, Norway, where residents successfully campaigned to shut down a local Bitcoin mine over noise complaints.
In July, a Texas jury acquitted Marathon Digital’s site manager, David Fischer, of 12 noise violations linked to the company’s crypto mining operations near Granbury, Texas.
The case centered on allegations that Marathon’s mining site emitted noise levels capable of causing health issues among nearby residents.
Fischer was cleared of all charges after a six-person jury deliberated on claims that Marathon’s operations exceeded permissible noise limits.
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